Gryffindor Beginnings
by Cate Eliot
Summary: A house call for an attacked Muggleborn girl with his colleagues reminds Albus of his late sister, but turns out to be the beginning of something more with a future, bright student; a little girl called Minerva. A one shot. Minerva/Albus non-romantic pairing. Complete.


**/N: All characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling and affiliates. I told the readers of my novel, "Head Girl" that if I reached 100 reviews that I would post a new one-shot and here it is. It's not related to any of my other stories. It stands alone. I enjoyed this piece simply because it allowed me to play with Minerva and Albus in a different setting. I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think of the piece. C.E.**

Albus Dumbledore stood beside his colleague Armando Dippet in front of a sizeable house. It was bricked with tall gothic windows and a black front door. The windows were closed on all of the panes and the door that had three locks.

The summer wind was blowing pleasantly around the Scottish cliffs. A warm ocean could be seen in the distance. The house seemed well enough, even if a bit cold.

Armando straightened his hat as they climbed the six steps to the door. The Headmaster wore his navy blue summer robes and his pointed black Wizarding hat. His hair was growing grayer and held such a deep contrast to Albus' lively auburn hair and growing beard.

Dumbledore had sportingly decided on his lilac colored robes, though the occasion was anything but happy. The robes had little silver swirls carefully embroidered on the hem of the sleeves and the bottom that touched the tops of his leather boots.

A third man straggled behind the other two. Alastor Moody was his name. A young strapping Auror with a mop top of bronze hair that stuck out every which day and black Auror robes.

"Come along, Moody, the Muggles won't bite."

The young man grumbled something under his breath but took the steps two at a time anyways. "The father's a lawyer," Armando said as they knocked on the door. "Her name is Minerva McGonagall. Seven other siblings and a step mother," Dippet continued to inform softly as they heard movement inside the door. "The attack happened three days ago down near the town. Apparently the girl was playing in the wildflowers at the bottom of the hill when she was attacked by three Muggle boys."

The door flung open to reveal a fair haired boy with muted brown eyes and broad shoulders. Albus cleared his throat. The boy could be no older than fourteen, though the baby fat in his neck and cheeks made him seem younger.

"Good afternoon," the boy said carefully, "can I help you?"

"Yes, we were wondering if we could speak with Murdoch McGonagall," Armando cut in with a polite smile, "we're here about one of his daughters…"

"You're here about Minerva," the boy deducted without preamble. They all confirmed this and then the boy escorted them into a large sitting room with stuffy furniture.

They made themselves at home as the boy, introduced as Nathaniel, went to go retrieve his parents. Albus could hear Alastor grumbling about the state of the room and the furniture in the corner.

Murdoch McGonagall was a stout man with a clean shaven face and fair chestnut hair like a few of his sons. He was slightly round around the middle, but had strong looking arms and legs. He had a sophisticated, expensive suit on and a gold pocket watch dangling from his coat pocket. His eyes swept over them judgingly and Albus had an immediate dislike for the man. His eyes hard large pupils are were almost dark to the point of being unable to distinguish them from the iris.

"Good afternoon gentlemen," he greeted stiffly walking into the room with dominance behind followed a young woman, much younger than McGonagall with a baby in her arms.

She was such a white-ish blonde Albus was immediately reminded of the Malfoy's. Her eyes were hazel and her nose a little too small and pointed for her face. She wore a pink dress and a frilly white apron. She was clearly Muggle as well.

They exchanged pleasantries rather frostily and then proceeded to sit down. "I thought we were done with your people. There were two here hovering after it happened."

Armando forced a smile onto his face. "Yes. They were from a Magical Catastrophe Team and Magical Reversal Squad in our Ministry of Magic. They were able to make sure the boys involved wouldn't remember what happened. It would threaten our Statue of Security," he said and began to explain everything about the Magical World, Hogwarts, and his daughter's abilities.

When he was finished the couple looked unimpressed. "That explains all the bloody nonsense, then," he declared moodily.

Albus felt Moody bristle behind him. "Nonsense, Mister McGonagall?" Albus questioned lightly. He had met other parents wary of their children's magic, but never this… hostile …against it.

"Yes, ruddy bizarre things. Instruments playing on their own, the lights flickering, stuff flying all around, and then the bloody cat!" he nearly shouted.

Armando and Albus shared a look at the now red in the face man and Albus forced himself to take a deep breath. "Mister McGonagall, Hogwarts will teach your daughter how to better control her magic. With age and discipline the magic will become more refined and easier to control. These accidental bouts of magic will go away."

He shared a glance with his wife. "You can't get rid of it can you?"

"Of course not!" was Moody's outraged comment.

"No need to become cross, sir," the man snapped.

Albus decided to intercede. "Mister McGonagall where is your daughter? We would like to see her please."

The man's left eye twitched slightly.

"Why do you need to see Minerva?"

"We need to make sure she's cared for. Under our laws in agreement with your Prime Minister, we are allowed to make sure one of our own is cared for and on the road to getting healthy after an attack like this," Albus explained calmly.

"The doc left this mornin'," he grumbled watching his wife with a wary eye. "Said it'd all eventually health itself."

Moody rustled beside him. "Not that kind of health. The girl's mental health so accidents don't start blowing up every the time you make her scared or upset. You wouldn't want that to begin to attract the neighbors would ya?" he snapped.

"Keenan," McGonagall called. There was a rustle of movement in the doorway. Albus turned to see three children, all older than fifteen standing in the doorway.

"Yes Father?" the tallest one answered.

He looked like his other siblings with honey colored hair that was longer and crisp clean clothes ironed to perfection. His skin was a little tanner than the others and he seemed to be about twenty years of age.

"Go get your sister."

The boy disappeared without another word. "These are my other children," the woman spoke. "Keenan just left. Then that's Fiona, Nathanial, Grace, Howard, Geoffrey," she introduced as they all filed into the room. "and this is our youngest, Levi."

"Minerva is your seventh child?" Armando inquired with a meaningful look to Albus.

"Yes why?" the father snapped.

"No reason, my dear sir, just curious," Dippet quickly said, raising a hand in a calming manner.

"Mister Dumbledore?" The woman leaned forward and lowered her voice into a worried tone. Albus saw right through it. "This unnaturalness … it won't _infect_ the other children, too will it?"

Albus took a moment to calm his outraged temper. "No Mrs. McGonagall. Your daughter was born with her gift. The other children would have showed signs of magical before now if they too were a witch or wizard."

Keenan cleared his throat loudly. All three men turned and felt their hearts jump. The little girl looked nothing like her family. Her hair was waist length and dark as night. Instead of the straight locks of her siblings, hers was formed in perfect ringlets. Her face was not tanned, but porcelain pale, clearly showing their line of Celtic heritage.

Her bone structure was dainty and fine. Her cheekbones were high. She had a little nose and small nude colored lips. Her eyes were beautifully powerful. They were the most emerald colored eyes he had ever seen. The iris was highlighted by thousands of tiny gold flecks that would shine her eyes gold when caught in the sun light. They were outlined by fine dark eyelashes.

The look in them, Albus decided, told him that she knew a lot that she let on. She was tiny for a girl almost six. She wore a dark green summer dress and was barefoot.

For a moment no one spoke.

"Hello Minerva," Albus said quietly, tentatively stepping forward and kneeling in front of the child. "My name is Albus." Her green eyes followed him closely, but she seemed unafraid of him.

"I will take a look at Miss McGonagall, Armando, if you will go over the laws with Mr. and Mrs. McGonagall," Dumbledore said, not taking eyes off the child.

Armando nodded and Moody clambered to his feet. The girl's eyes jumped up to watch his movements. Her face didn't show a reaction.

The oldest boy, Kenan, cleared his throat. "Come along Minerva. Let's show Mister Dumbledore your room."

The little girl's room was painted in shades of cream, reminding Albus about how colorful his bedroom as a child was, painting jumping shades of purples and greens and his favorite vivid yellow.

She had large windows looking out towards the ocean with a small window seat and a perfectly made bed. The bedspread had little embroidered cats on them. She had two bookshelves on either side of the window filled to the brim with novels and large picture books.

When they walked into the room, Minerva let go of her brother's hand and walked over to the bedspread. She picked up the tattered book lying on it and held it close to her chest. She then turned to watch him.

"What do you have there, dear heart?" he questioned, lightly, making sure to keep his tone happy and cheerful. The child did not need something else to add to her traumatic few days.

"She carries that thing everywhere. The lady down the road gave it to her a few years ago and she won't let the bookkeeper mend it," Kenan said dismissively, leaning on the closet door.

Albus leaned down to peer at the title. She relinquished her grip slightly and allowed him to read the title. He was shocked when it was one he recognized.

_Hogwarts a History _by Bathila Bagshot

"She can read?" Alastor spoke up. The girl's head snapped up to look at him. She frowned hard at him. Albus laughed delightedly.

"Sorry," he muttered, "I thought she was a bit wee to be readin' this kind of stuff."

"Alastor, come look at this," he said, beckoning the young man into the room. He gazed at Albus shocked. How would a six year old Muggleborn girl get her hands on something like this?

"Minerva have you ever seen this building?" he asked sitting on the window seat next to her. He pointed to the cover page.

She watched him for another moment and nodded once.

"Can you tell me where?"

His eyes locked with hers.

Tentatively, she raised a delicate left hand and made brief contact with Albus' forehead. His smile was brilliant. As she withdrew her hand, he took it delicately and kissed her fingertips.

It was the first time he had seen her smile all afternoon. He then turned her hand over in his large one and traced his hand over the ligature marks on her tiny wrists from where the boys had held her down.

Her eyes intensified as she watched the marks disappear, magically healing themselves. As he was about to remove his hand, Minerva grabbed his own wrist.

Concentrating lightly, she trailed her fingers over a paper cut he had gotten this morning and looked haughty as the cut healed over, just as her own injury had gone.

"Bloody hell," Kenan swore, taking a step back from his sister.

"Merlin's left saggy—" Alastor began, but Albus cut him off with a look. He gave her a warm smile and then looked up to her brother.

"Has she ever done anything else like this? Anything this focused and advanced?" he demanded. Kenan shook his head mutely.

"Not since he had her looked at," Kenan said shaking his head.

"Looked at?" Albus said sharply. "What do you mean looked at?" He and Alastor shared a brief look. Kenan shrugged and looked acutely uncomfortable with the sudden question.

"I don't know. They took her to some doctor on the Continent to make sure she wasn't possessed or something. That was after she managed to get the piano to play itself. When they came back, it seemed to go away for a little bit."

"When was that?"

"A few months ago I suppose."

"Was Minerva mute before she was attack earlier this week?" he asked urgently. He moved off the seat to kneel into front of her looking up at her face.

"No, of course not, Minerva's bilingual in the Queen's English and Gaelic, why?"

Albus ignored him.

"Minerva, I need you listen very closely okay. Can you tell me what happened when you and your father went onto the Continent?"

Mutely, she shook her head.

Tentatively, he cupped her face and ran a calloused finger over her cheek, making sure he made eye contact. "Minerva, nothing else is going to happen, but I need to you tell me what happened, all right?"

She stared back for a moment without response.

"Mas e do thoil e?"

She leaned forward and without speaking put her hand on top of his. Seconds later he felt a powerful and jolting electric shock.

Fury tore through him.

"Is that what happened Minerva?"

There was unmasked fear in her eyes at his raised voice. He turned and marched from the room back down the stairs to where Armando and the rest of the McGonagalls were seat.

"Armando, Miss McGonagall will be coming with us, today," he said, hearing quiet and small footsteps behind him.

The older man raised a thick eyebrow. "She will?"

"Indeed. In fact, I believe that will be all we need for you at the moment, Mister McGonagall."

The man stood from the sofa with outrage outlining his face. "You cannot just march out of here with my daughter. What is the meaning of this?"

"I have determined that there needs to be some tests run on Miss McGonagall before it is deemed that this household is safe for her residence. You may allow one of your sons to escort her if you see fit, but she _will_ becoming with us," Albus said harshly.

"I—you can't—"

"Da? It'll be fine, I'll go with her. Don't worry about it." Dumbledore turned to see Kenan step up behind his sister, but the loud voices made the baby begin to cry.

"There must be a compromise to be found," Dippet said carefully, putting a hand on Albus' arm.

Albus drew his wand and flicked his wrist, conjuring a thin silver chain with a small charm on the end. It was a decorative cat, one identical to the embroidered one on her bedspread with little tiny stones that reflected from the ceiling lights.

Mr. McGonagall made a strange choking sound, but Dumbledore ignored him.

He moved towards the little girl and extended the necklace towards her. Her tiny fingers wrapped around it tightly. "Anything you need, anything at all, you just take this and call for me, okay?"

The girl stared at his face for a long a long while before she nodding. Dumbledore gave her a smile and stood to turn back to the parents.

"If I hear a whisper or an inkling that you have harmed this child in any way, that you have hindered her magic, or have taken her out of Scotland to any sort of psychologist, then I will hunt you down. Do not test me on this."

Many years later, Albus sat behind the Staff Table at the yearly Welcome Feast. He wore his navy robes with the little sparkling silver stars, a favorite of his.

His good friend and colleague was perched next to him. "Heard there aren't many good ones in this year's batch," Galatea Merrythought said casually, taking a sip of wine as Slughorn brought in the new First Years.

The hub of the other student was at a dull roar as they sized up the rest of the new meat.

"A friend from the Ministry said there weren't many bouts of accidental magic outbreaks recently. I was hoping for a Hatstall or the next Albus Dumbledore this time. It's been so quiet for a while. I'm ready for some excitement," she said with a laugh and Albus chuckled.

"I believe that's the Auror in your talking, old friend," he said with a smile. As the typical nervous eleven years filed in towards the stage, Albus caught sight of her.

She had grown into herself since the last time he had seen her. Her beautiful curls were drawn away from her face with a pretty little clip and she wore her new Hogwarts uniform. She was still littler than her peers, but she was no longer so small a gust of wind could seeming knock her over. The small cat necklace sat on her collarbone, catching the light from the Great Hall's candles.

What made Albus more reassured was the renewed way she seemed to carry herself. No more was she shying away from loud noises or eye contact. Her dark green eyes were shining intelligently and sparkling with mystery.

He had of course gone back to the house to check on her. The little girl had weighed heavily on his mind and his heart since that day and he made it a habit to go and check on her even once in a while, though she never knew it.

He hadn't been back to the house in quite a while and in the year or so, she had grown innumerable. As he was taking stock of her, her eyes found his face. Recognition was immediate, he noticed, and she searched for a similar hello in his face.

He gave her a smile, blue eyes twinkling, and she returned it immediately, a glow spreading over her pale skin and lightening her eyes.

A blonde headed boy near her was talking to her and touched her arm, lightly. She hesitantly turned to him, taking her gaze off Albus finally.

"Oh I have a feeling that they may surprise us after all, Galatea," Albus remarked, turning to watch Minerva approach the stage and sitting down on the stool, preparing to be sorted.

He was unashamed to say he clapped the loudest when she was proclaimed "Gryffindor!"


End file.
